Andy

The reports during the game tonight talked like he could return in 2-3 months but regardless of when he returns it would be possible for him to return. I wish Simms all the best, but I have to say, if this had to happen, better for it to happen after he had played Carolina.

:banned: Yeah, check the NSBB Facebook group to see what he thinks about that. :lol: For those of us who can't use facebook, can you copy and paste me a blurb...even if it's via pm. This is the extent of it. IMB's responses had me laughing pretty hard. Again, please share. Someone made the comment that CBB got banned because his incessantly negative comments ruined the positive atmosphere of the board, putting it in similarly verbose terms. IMB posted next with: "Actually, you're just an idiot."

A sorely late congratulations to Buck Coats on his first career dinger today!

Disclaimer before I do this: I in no way believe ND will make or will deserve to make the national title game at the end of the season. But because I'm a hopeless optimist, let's see what the chances are of the 11 teams in front of ND losing before January. (Of course, losing is no guarantee that said teams would fall behind Notre Dame.) 1. Ohio State Possible losses remaining: at Iowa next Saturday, at Michigan St 10/14, vs Michigan 11/18 Odds of losing: Probably somewhere between zero and 10 percent. I really think O$U will be unbeaten going into the Michigan game. 2. Auburn Possible losses remaining: at S. Carolina next Saturday, vs Florida 10/14, vs Georgia 11/11, at Alabama 11/18, SEC Title Game if they make it there Odds of losing: I'd say pretty darn good, between 40-55 percent. They're helped by the fact that they don't have a long midseason stretch of tough games, but it's hard to think that the Tigers can get through their remaining tough games, plus the SEC title game (which would make 3 really tough games out of 4) without a blemish. 3. USC Possible losses remaining: vs Arizona State 10/14, vs Oregon 11/11, vs Cal 11/18, vs ND 11/25 Odds of losing: Well, obviously ND controls their own destiny here. USC probably is not going to lose before the ND game because none of those first three teams are really all that good (except for possibly Oregon - we'll see about them). All those tough games are at home, which helps their cause immensely. Oddly enough, this year's USC team has just as good a chance of playing in the title game as last year's simply because they don't have a tough road game on the schedule. I'd put the odds of USC losing a game at about 25 percent. 4. W. Virginia Possible losses remaining: at Louisville 11/2, at Pittsburgh 11/16 Odds of losing: 35 percent. That Louisville game will be very tough, especially if Brian Brohm is back for it, which it is believed he will be. The Pitt game could be a surprise, but the Panthers would have to play very well to win that game. It's a crime against football if this team goes unbeaten playing only one very good team. 5. Florida Possible losses remaining: vs Alabama next Saturday, vs LSU 10/7, at Auburn 10/14, vs Georgia 10/28, vs S. Carolina 11/11, at FSU 11/25, SEC title game if they make it Odds of losing: 75 percent. Three straight games against Top 10 teams spells real trouble for the Gators. 6. Michigan Possible losses remaining: at Minnesota next Saturday, vs MSU 10/7, at PSU 10/14, vs Iowa 10/21, at O$U 11/25 Odds of losing: 85 percent. Four games in a row that will be at least moderately tough could foretell a stumble, but looming at the end are the Buckeyes, and I just don't like Michigan's chances in that game. 7. Texas Possible losses remaining: at Oklahoma 10/7, at Nebraska 10/21, Big 12 title game if they make it Odds of losing: Tough to place. None of those three teams (the Big 12 North champ, whoever it is, won't be nearly as good as the Horns) looks to have the talent of Texas, but with a first-year starter, you never know. Even so, I put the odds of another Texas loss at just 30 percent. 8. Louisville Possible losses remaining: vs W. Virginia 11/2, vs S. Florida 11/18, at Pittsburgh 11/25 Odds of losing: I'm putting this at 40 percent. Brohm will be just recently returned from his injury, if he is back, going into the WV game. They will be without Michael Bush. However, their backups have proven capable so far. They don't play anyone else remotely capable of beating them. I added the USF game because they lost to the Bulls last year. 9. LSU Possible losses remaining: at Florida 10/7, at Tennessee 11/4, vs Alabama 11/11, SEC title game if they make it Odds of losing: I'll put this at 50 percent, since Florida is a very talented team. Since they're in the same division as Auburn who has already beaten them, the Tigers are this year's version of the team that could potentially make the title game without winning their own division. 10. Georgia Possible losses remaining: vs Tennessee 10/7, at Florida 10/28, at Auburn 11/11, vs GT 11/25, SEC title game if they make it Odds of losing: 90 percent. The Dawgs haven't impressed me or many others, and they have four, possibly five, really tough games remaining. I don't see any way they make it through all of them. 11. Virginia Tech Possible losses remaining: vs GT next Saturday, at BC 10/12, vs Clemson 10/26, at Miami 11/4, ACC title game if they make it Odds of losing: The Hokies haven't done that many impressive things, but they've done what they've needed to, and they don't play anyone that appears talented enough to stop that determination. I'll put the odds at 30 percent. As for ND? Well, they'll be 10-1 heading to the Coliseum if they even half-ass their next seven games, and if they don't completely embarrass themelves there, they'll at least play in a BCS game (likely whoever has the first pick in the rotation - Orange or Sugar). But their chances of managing to slip by ten teams (and not get passed up by anyone due to computer rankings)? Not great. Likely between 2-4 percent at best.

I don't mind the latter as much. A lot of QBs will have W-L records better than they should have, but it's not very often you see a QB that is clearly good have a bad W-L record. It's not near as luck of the draw-driven as pitchers' records.

Well of course, the national media will take any chance they get to kiss Favre's rear. Actually in this case it was the fans who are kissing Favre's rear, since they voted on it. NBC fixes it! Rex got screwed last week, and Favre wins in a blowout this week? I smell consipiracy!!! I smell "casual fan still thinks Grossman's bad". :wink:

Well of course, the national media will take any chance they get to kiss Favre's rear. Actually in this case it was the fans who are kissing Favre's rear, since they voted on it.

I picked Baltimore too, but I don't recall whether it was in the NSBB pool or the other one I'm in. Whichever one I didn't pick the Ravens in, I picked the Falcons over the Aints. I'm going to Charlotte to watch the game next Sunday. I usually go to one game per year. Last year I went to the game against New England. Man, I've never been to an NFL game in my life. I remember in Carolina's first year my parents went to watch them play Tampa in their 2nd home game ever (I was still living in SC at the time). I was very jealous. My friend (Colts fan) and I tried to get tickets to the game when Carolina came to Indy in 2003 but no luck, and same when Carolina was in Chicago last year.

ARG. Why couldn't the Cubs play the A's this year (in Oakland obviously). Those would be guaranteed easy tickets to get. The NL central might be playing the AL west, but the Cubs play the Sox in 2 series, therefore 2 of the AL west teams come off the schedule. The A's and the Angels just happen to be the lucky teams to miss the juggernaut that are the Cubs. Which is because they had to play the juggernaut that were the Cubs in 2004.

Wow, Baltimore just barely comes back and wins to keep me alive in NSBB's Survival pool. Next week the Saints come to Charlotte, so hopefully the Monday night-followed-by-road-game will come into play because it's basically another must-win for Carolina especially if the Saints beat Atlanta tomorrow.

Avatar change to honor the god of kicking

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JOHN KASAY WINS IT!!!!!!

Delhomme scrambles for 12 on 4th and 7. With seven seconds to go John Kasay will set up for a 46 yarder to win the game.

Carolina will get the ball back with about 1:40 left, with 1 timeout still left. COME ON!

2:43 left, two timeouts left, Carolina just punted. Fox is putting it all in the hands of the defense.

So after another o-line-caused fumble, TB gets a field goal, it's 24-23, and Carolina needs to get back inside the 35 WITHOUT TURNING THE BALL OVER YOU WORTHLESS LINE to win.

OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD O-LINE STOP MAKING DELHOMME GET BLINDSIDED

Thanks for the reminder, I forgot to put Rutgers into the schedule. There are a lot of games this week that I didn't know whether to group into good or mismatches, including Missouri and Notre Dame (Purdue has looked really bad, but after last night I can't make any ND game a mismatch). I would say Minnesota-Michigan is likely to be a mismatch. Who knows though. Talentwise I'd say yes, but Minnesota's made a habit of playing them extremely tough, especially at the Metrodome.

Bruce Gradkowski has entered the game for Tampa, but on 3rd and 18, 16 yards isn't enough. Carolina with the ball back about 14 minutes left.

Thanks for the reminder, I forgot to put Rutgers into the schedule. There are a lot of games this week that I didn't know whether to group into good or mismatches, including Missouri and Notre Dame (Purdue has looked really bad, but after last night I can't make any ND game a mismatch).

John Kasay for MVP of the universe. FGs of 51, 50 and now 49 yards to put the Panthers up 23-21. Smith 5 catches for 91 yards in a solid season debut.

Carolina is a joke. Another fumble, this one by Foster, another TD. Tampa came into this game with 3 points for the season and now leads 21-20.

Carolina's offensive line has been responsible for more fumbles in the last two seasons than any player, team or unit that I have ever seen in my life. 20-14.

Matchups between Top 25 teams ------------------------------------- (1) Ohio State at (14) Iowa (8 pm, ABC) (24) Georgia Tech at (11) Virginia Tech (3:30 pm, ABC)* "Good" Top 25 games ------------------------- (2) Auburn at S. Carolina (7:30 pm Thursday, ESPN) Alabama at (5) Florida (3:30 pm) (6) Michigan at Minnesota (8 pm, ESPN) Purdue at (12) Notre Dame (2:30 pm, NBC) (14) Oregon at Arizona State (3:30 pm, ABC)* (20) California at Oregon State (4 pm) (23) Rutgers at South Florida (8 pm Friday, ESPN2) Top 25 mismatches ---------------------- (3) USC at Washington State (7 pm) Sam Houston State at (7) Texas (7 pm) Mississippi State at (9) LSU (12:30 pm)* (10) Georgia at Ole Miss (9 pm, ESPN2) (15) Tennessee at Memphis (12 pm, ESPN) BYU at (17) TCU (8 pm Thursday, CSTV) Louisiana Tech at (18) Clemson (7 pm, ESPNU) Kansas at (21) Nebraska (7 pm) (22) Boise State at Utah (3 pm) Colorado at (25) Missouri (12:30 pm) Other Games of interest to NSBB -------------------------------------- Wisconsin at Indiana (12 pm, ESPN) Illinois at Michigan State (12 pm)* Wyoming at Syracuse (1:30 pm, ESPN360) Northwestern at Penn State (3:30 pm, ABC)* C. Michigan at Kentucky (6 pm) N. Illinois at Ball State (6:30 pm) Kansas State at Baylor (7 pm) Stanford at UCLA (10 pm) Indiana State at S. Illinois (7 pm)

20-7 now. John Kasay has made two 50-yard field goals.